Moon and Sea, Sun and Lava
by Lysythe
Summary: Written a while ago for Zutara week for the prompt 'Mythology'. May be expanded in future. Yes, this is a fairy-tale-style story.


Once upon a time, when the world was young, there were two siblings. The elder was a boy, and the younger, a girl. They were the children of the moon and the sea.

The brother was strong, and wise beyond his years, and he was a great hunter. The sister was beautiful, and graceful, and she could command the water, even that which was her mother.

-

Once upon a time, when the world was young, there were two siblings. The elder was a boy, and the younger, a girl. They were the children of the sun and the lava.

The brother was honest, and cared for others more than he did himself. In his childhood he had displeased his father the sun, and bore a scar across the left side of his face as a result. The sister was sly, and fierce. Both could command the flame, even that part of their mother which burned.

-

The brother and sister of night and of water lived in a house on a small island not far from the mainland. There was no bridge, only a series of small and slippery stepping stones. The sister was often seen on the rocky edge of the island, practicing her abilities over her mother the sea.

Many men saw her, slim and lithe and as lovely as the gentle sea at night with the moon keeping her company.

Many men came to her brother, when he set foot on land to hunt, asking for his sister's hand. He refused them all.

"My sister will marry no one," he told them all. "She made this choice. Mayhap if you came to our island to woo her she might change her mind. But the way to our home is treacherous, and I fear our mother the sea may claim you instead."

Some heeded him. Some did not. The sea claimed many would-be son-in-laws, and returned their bodies to the shore.

Then one day, a fire demon, scarred and ugly, wandering far from his home, saw the lovely daughter of the moon and the sea, and in the light of day, he stole her away, using his magicks to bewitch her mother the sea into thinking her daughter safe.

-

The brother and sister of day and of fire lived in a palace on a high mountain, surrounded by a wide moat of lava. The only bridge was segmented and fragile, and floated atop the lava; too much weight here, or there, and the piece would sink unless the weight was quickly removed. When the brother and the sister ventured across, the rocky stepping-stone-bridge would always hold them. But anyone who dared cross to steal their riches- or worse, to attempt to ravish the sister- sank out of sight into the lava, burning until even their bones were gone. Their mother the lava was not the type to forgive.

The sister would, more often than not, leave her home for much of the day, sending the ill or the weak onward in their journey to the Spirit World, or dallying with young bachelors in hopes of finding a suitable husband.

The brother preferred to stay in the palace, ashamed of his scarred face, and when he did go out, it was only for a few hours, and rarely among other people. He would explore the land instead.

One day, the brother went farther than was usual on his explorations. He eventually found himself at the beach, and having never seen such a sight before, such soft sand, and such a great expanse of water, he began looking around in somewhat childish excitement.

In his excitement, he attracted the attention of a water siren. The wicked siren bewitched him with her entrancing beauty, and persuaded him to take her back with him to his palace home, using her magicks to convince his mother the lava that she would do no harm.

-

That night, when the son of the moon and the sea returned from his hunting, he found his sister had disappeared. Panicking, he rushed to the water's edge and entreated his mother as to the whereabouts of his sister, her daughter.

The sea replied that she was safe, but her son did not believe her. He had found marks on the stepping stones, where lava had briefly burned and cooled and steadied the stones.

-

That night, when the daughter of the sun and the lava returned to her home, she found her brother with a beautiful girl. Immediately recognizing her as a creature of evil, she ran outside to speak to her mother as to why the girl the siren, was there.

The lava replied that she meant no harm, but her daughter did not believe her. She had seen how completely entranced her brother had been by the siren.

-

Two tales, one from the Water Tribes, one from the Fire Nation. Which is true? What became of the daughter of night and water, the son of day and fire? Neither of the tales has an ending. There has never been one that would fit either one. Any ending attached is forgotten as time passes.

Some say…

that the daughter of night and water was never seen again.

that the water siren lived out her days with the son of day and fire, and his sister was murdered in her bed.

Some say…

that the daughter of night and water returned, her mind and body beyond recovery.

that the water siren left in the night when the sun recognized her, and punished her for her scheming.

Some say…

the son of night and water never saw his sister again, save for a short letter telling him to forgive her.

the daughter of day and fire chased the siren away, thinking that her brother would return to normal- instead he followed for love of the siren, and they traveled the world together, and the son of day and fire never came back.

But there is no true ending. Make of that what you will.


End file.
